ADGM
Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi
FSMR
Primary financial markets legislation
AI
Cited answers from article text
FinTech
Dedicated regulatory sandbox
The Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) operates one of the most progressive financial regulatory frameworks in the UAE. For firms seeking ADGM authorisation — or compliance officers at ADGM-licensed entities — navigating the FSRA's layered rulebook is a daily requirement. Lexara indexes the complete FSRA regulatory corpus including the Financial Services and Markets Regulations (FSMR), the FSRA Rulebook, AML/CFT standards, virtual asset guidance, and FinTech framework — making it searchable with keyword and AI-powered search.
Explained in video
ADGM FSRA, step by step
Short explainer series narrated over diagrams, with the article behind every claim. Each video is about two minutes and starts the next.
ADGM FSRA rulebooks, chapter by chapter
Each rulebook page lists every chapter and article with a plain-English summary.
ADGM Conduct of Business Rulebook (COBS)
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 141 articles · 21 chapters
Ch.2 - Client Classification · Ch.3 - Core Rules (Investment Business/Deposits/Credit/Trust) · Ch.4 - Accepting Deposits and Providing Credit · Ch.5 - Providing Trust Services · Ch.6 - Additional Rules (Investment Business) · Ch.7 - Core Rules (Insurance) · +15 more
ADGM Collective Investment Funds Rules (FUNDS Rulebook)
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 159 articles · 36 chapters
Ch.1 - Application and Client Classification · Ch.2 - Arrangements Not Constituting a Fund · Ch.3 - Fund Criteria · Ch.4 - Specialist Classes of Funds · Ch.5 - Excluded Offers · Ch.6 - Domestic Funds (Authorisation) · +30 more
ADGM Markets Infrastructure Rules (MIR Rulebook)
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 161 articles · 10 chapters
Ch.1 - Introduction · Ch.2 - Rules Applicable to All Recognised Bodies · Ch.3 - Rules Applicable to Recognised Investment Exchanges (RIEs) · Ch.4 - Rules Applicable to Recognised Clearing Houses (RCHs) · Ch.3 - Rules Applicable to Recognised Investment Exchanges · Ch.5 - Notification Rules for Recognised Bodies · +4 more
ADGM General Rules for Authorised Persons (GEN Rulebook)
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 107 articles · 14 chapters
Ch.2 - Principles for Authorised Persons · Ch.2 - Principles for Approved Persons · Ch.3.2 - Allocation of Responsibilities · Ch.3.3 - Systems and Controls · Ch.3.4 - Whistleblowing · Ch.3.5 - Cyber Risk Management · +8 more
ADGM Markets Rules (MKT Rulebook)
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 113 articles · 17 chapters
Ch.1 - Introduction · Ch.2 - The Listing Rules · Ch.3 - Listed Funds · Ch.4 - Offers of Securities · Ch.5 - Sponsors and Compliance Advisers · Ch.6 - Market Abuse, Price Stabilisation and Buy-back Programmes · +11 more
ADGM Captive Insurance Business Rules (CIB Rulebook)
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 104 articles · 11 chapters
Ch.1 - General Provisions · Ch.2 - General Prudential Rules · Ch.3 - Eligible Capital · Ch.4 - Additional Requirements for Cell Companies · Ch.5 - Managerial Functions · Ch.6 - Valuation of Assets and Liabilities · +5 more
ADGM Prudential Insurance Business Rules (PIN Rulebook)
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 121 articles · 20 chapters
Ch.1 - Application · Ch.2 - Management and Control of Risk · Ch.3 - Long-Term Insurance Business · Ch.4 - Capital Adequacy · Ch.5 - Measurement of Assets and Liabilities of Insurers · Ch.6 - Financial and Other Reporting by Insurers · +14 more
ADGM Prudential
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 80 articles · 12 chapters
Ch.1 - Application, Interpretation and Categorisation · Ch.2 - General Requirements · Ch.3 - Capital and Leverage · Ch.4 - Credit Risk · Ch.5 - Market Risk · Ch.6 - Operational Risk · +6 more
ADGM Islamic Finance Rules (IFR Rulebook)
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 81 articles · 14 chapters
Ch.1 - Introduction · Ch.2 - Islamic Finance (Scope and Permission) · Ch.2 - Islamic Finance · Ch.3 - General Obligations · Ch.4 - Accounting and Auditing · Ch.5 - Managing Profit Sharing Investment Accounts (PSIAs) · +8 more
ADGM Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Rules and Guidance (AML Rulebook)
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 59 articles · 14 chapters
Ch.1 - Introduction · Ch.4 - General Compliance Requirements · Ch.5 - Applying a Risk-Based Approach to AML/TFS · Ch.6 - Business Risk Assessment · Ch.7 - Customer Risk Assessment · Ch.8 - Customer Due Diligence · +8 more
ADGM Fees Rules (FEES Rulebook)
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 19 articles · 9 chapters
Ch.1 - Introduction and General Fee Provisions · Ch.2 - Amendments to Financial Services Permissions, Waivers and Modifications · Ch.3 - Application and Supervision Fees by Regulated Activity · Ch.4 - Recognised Bodies, Remote Bodies and Remote Members · Ch.5-6 - Approved Persons and Controllers · Ch.7 - Foreign Branches of Domestic Firms · +3 more
ADGM Funds Passporting Rules (FP Rulebook)
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 20 articles · 8 chapters
Ch.1-2 - Application and Passported Funds · Ch.3 - Promotion of Passported Funds (Notification) · Ch.4-5 - Host Registration and Register of Passported Funds · Ch.6 - Management and Operation of a Passported Fund · Ch.7 - Fees · Ch.8 - De-registration of Passported Funds · +2 more
Latest ADGM FSRA updates
ADGM Registration Authority · 31 Oct 2026
FSRA Statement Regarding Security Incident Involving Binance
ADGM Registration Authority · 29 Oct 2026
ADGM Becomes the Region's First International Financial Centre to Publish Dedicated Crypto Mining Guidance
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 28 Oct 2026
Guidance on Crypto Mining Activities in and from ADGM
ADGM Registration Authority · 23 Oct 2026
ADGM’s RA Imposes Financial Penalties of USD 88,000 Against MCA Auditors and its Registered Audit Principal for Audit Failings
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 14 Oct 2026
Consultation Paper No. 7 of 2026 – Proposal to Introduce a Regulatory Framework for Business Centres
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 9 Oct 2026
Consultation Paper No. 6 of 2026 – Proposed Revisions to the Fees and General Rulebooks
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 6 Oct 2026
Consultation Paper No. 5 of 2026 – DeFi Risk Management Guidance
Financial Services Regulatory Authority — ADGM · 1 Oct 2026
Consultation Paper No. 4 of 2026 – Proposed Strata Regulations 2026
ADGM FSRA regulatory framework: what it covers
The FSRA's regulatory framework is grounded in ADGM's Financial Services and Markets Regulations 2015 (FSMR) — its primary financial services legislation — and a comprehensive rulebook that governs every regulated activity in ADGM.
Financial Services and Markets Regulations 2015 (FSMR) — primary legislation
FSRA Rulebook — conduct, prudential, and market rules for all licences
Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Rules (AML Rules)
Virtual Assets Framework — regulation of digital asset activities in ADGM
FinTech and Innovation framework — Regulatory Laboratory (RegLab) for sandbox participants
Funds and Collective Investment Schemes — fund manager and fund rules
Market Infrastructure Rules — regulated exchanges and clearing houses
ADGM FSRA virtual assets and crypto regulation
The FSRA is a pioneer in crypto regulation among UAE authorities. Its virtual asset framework — developed from 2018 onwards — covers spot crypto exchange, custody, investment management, and brokerage of virtual assets. The FSRA also regulates stablecoins and crypto-related capital markets activities within ADGM.
Virtual Asset (VA) spot exchange licence — operating a regulated crypto trading platform in ADGM
VA custody services — safekeeping digital assets for clients
VA investment management — managing discretionary portfolios of virtual assets
VA broker-dealer services — executing virtual asset transactions for clients
Spot Bitcoin and Ether ETFs and structured products — listed on Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange
Stablecoin issuance — FSRA has issued guidance on fiat-referenced digital tokens
ADGM FSRA AML obligations
ADGM FSRA-licensed firms must comply with the FSRA's Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions Rules (AML Rules), which apply on top of the UAE Federal AML Law. The AML Rules set detailed requirements for CDD, EDD, STR filing, and sanctions screening for ADGM-regulated entities.
Business-wide ML/TF risk assessment — documented and reviewed annually
Customer Due Diligence — identity verification, UBO identification, purpose of relationship
Enhanced Due Diligence for PEPs, high-risk jurisdictions, and complex structures
Suspicious Transaction Reporting via UAE FIU goAML platform
UAE local sanctions list and UN consolidated list screening — all customers and transactions
Travel Rule compliance for virtual asset transfers (FATF Recommendation 16)
MLRO appointment — senior manager, with direct board access and escalation authority
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Common questions
What is the ADGM FSRA?
The Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) is the independent financial services regulator of the Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) free zone on Al Maryah Island, Abu Dhabi. It regulates banking, investment, brokerage, insurance, virtual assets, and FinTech activities within ADGM.
What is the difference between ADGM FSRA and DIFC DFSA?
Both are independent financial regulators in UAE free zones, but they operate in different jurisdictions. ADGM FSRA covers Abu Dhabi Global Market; DFSA covers Dubai International Financial Centre. Each requires its own licence and compliance with its own rulebook — an ADGM licence does not permit activity in DIFC.
Does the ADGM FSRA regulate crypto and virtual assets?
Yes. The FSRA has one of the most developed virtual asset frameworks among UAE regulators. It regulates crypto exchange, custody, investment management, and brokerage within ADGM. It also regulates stablecoins and crypto-related capital markets activities.
What is the ADGM RegLab?
The ADGM Regulatory Laboratory (RegLab) is the FSRA's regulatory sandbox for FinTech firms. It provides a controlled environment where innovative financial services businesses can test their products and services with real clients under a modified regulatory framework before applying for a full FSRA licence.
What is the FSMR?
The Financial Services and Markets Regulations 2015 (FSMR) is the primary financial services legislation for ADGM. It defines regulated activities, the authorisation framework, market conduct obligations, and enforcement powers of the FSRA. All FSRA-licensed firms operate under the FSMR and the FSRA Rulebook.
Need help complying with ADGM FSRA rules?
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